Mended Hearts Open Forum

You MUST take Plavix every day for the rest of your life.  If you discontinue it, you will be dead within two weeks.  I stopped when I ran out in the middle of August, and was going to get a refill with the rest of my medicines in September.  After ten days I was riding around in the horse country when I felt a little funny.  Went home, felt worse, like bees were stinging me in my chest area.  Drove to hospital, told them I was having the worst heart attack ever.  Pain was off the charts, far greater than the (many) others I had experienced in the past.  Someone else was scheduled for a heart procedure.  They took me first.  While moving from the gurney to the operating table, they said "Uh Oh!"  Moved back to gurney where I was revived three times.  Third time I told God that I knew I was dying, and didn't care, but I wanted to see my baby horse grow up to be a racehorse.  Zap, I was awake, aware, back on the operating table where they dug out the gook that had accumulated in the past few days.  Doctor said it was easy because the plaque build up had all been recent, right where my stents were.  He said when you discontinue Plavix you have about two weeks before the buildup will kill you.  Also the baby aspirin helps make your blood cells slippery so they won't clot as quickly.  I had also run out of aspirin at the same time.

Have been on Plavix  for ??  years. I guess I'll contiue . MI 21 years ago, Stent about 12 y, Double bypass 10 years. Cardiac cath 2 y ago and 3 weeks ago. Still chugging along.

You MUST take Plavix every day for the rest of your life.  If you discontinue it, you will be dead within two weeks.  I stopped when I ran out in the middle of August, and was going to get a refill with the rest of my medicines in September.  After ten days I was riding around in the horse country when I felt a little funny.  Went home, felt worse, like bees were stinging me in my chest area.  Drove to hospital, told them I was having the worst heart attack ever.  Pain was off the charts, far greater than the (many) others I had experienced in the past.  Someone else was scheduled for a heart procedure.  They took me first.  While moving from the gurney to the operating table, they said "Uh Oh!"  Moved back to gurney where I was revived three times.  Third time I told God that I knew I was dying, and didn't care, but I wanted to see my baby horse grow up to be a racehorse.  Zap, I was awake, aware, back on the operating table where they dug out the gook that had accumulated in the past few days.  Doctor said it was easy because the plaque build up had all been recent, right where my stents were.  He said when you discontinue Plavix you have about two weeks before the buildup will kill you.  Also the baby aspirin helps make your blood cells slippery so they won't clot as quickly.  I had also run out of aspirin at the same time.